By Laura Hubbard

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) today released new research showing that the prevalence of hearing loss among U.S. adolescents aged 12 to 19 years was greater in 2005-2006 compared with 1988-1994. Although the cause of hearing loss is not clear, the research noted “some risk factors, such as loud sound exposure from music listening, may be of particular importance to adolescents.”

CEA promotes safe listening in conjunction with our partner the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Together, CEA and ASHA encourage children, teens and adults to practice safe use of portable entertainment devices like MP3 players.

Here are a few tips to practice safe listening ourselves and to set good examples for those around us:

Control The Volume

· Turn down the volume on your MP3 player and leave it there. Taking a minute to do this will help preserve hearing.

· See if your MP3 player has a volume limiter that allows you to set a safe listening level by establishing a maximum volume level on your player. This is a great solution for parents to ensure their children listen at a safe level when they are not around

Invest In The Right Type Of Headphones

Earbuds that come with most MP3 players might not be the best fit for your ears. Investing in a set of earbuds or headphones that fit your ears will help minimize background noise so you don’t have to turn the volume up. Here are a few types of headphones that can help protect your hearing:

· In-the-ear headphones that feature an interchangeable soft ear fitting for the opening of your ear to decrease outside noise.

· Sound-isolating or noise-canceling headphones that reduce surrounding background noise.

· Sound-isolating headphones work like earplugs, sealing the ear canal to block unwanted sounds from reaching your ear.

· Noise-canceling headphones, on the other hand, rely on electronics to minimize the ambient noise in your environment.

Remember, hearing loss can occur from prolonged exposure to any sound at a dangerous level so make sure to protect your ears at all times. Examples of noise levels considered dangerous by experts are lawnmowers, rock concerts, firecrackers and motorcycles.